Twelve Days
by 554Laura
Summary: 12 Vignettes inspired by words from the Twelve Days of Christmas. A variety of styles and topics...and I still don't own Bones.
1. Chapter 1 The Pear Tree

From Season 10

"Booth, what are you doing out here?" Brennan stood on the patio, hands on hips, watching him pace around the backyard on a sunny Saturday afternoon.

"Trying to decide where to plant the new tree." He scanned the yard as he stood by the small cherry blossom tree Sweets and Daisy had planted for Brennan when she'd moved into the new house. "I don't want it too close to this one."

Brennan walked out into the yard to join her husband. "What is the expected mature height of this tree species? Perhaps it would look good in the corner over there." She pointed to the far side of the yard.

Booth shook his head. "I don't think it'll fit there, and it needs full sun exposure. Bradford pear trees can get pretty tall. I like them because they're beautiful when they bloom in the Spring. They're covered with lots of white flowers, and they have a nice shape the rest of the year. I'd like to be able to see it from the house, but I don't want to block the cherry tree. I know that tree is important to you."

She nodded, remembering the occasion when it was planted. "Sweets and Daisy bought it as a housewarming gift for us when Christine and I moved into our new house. They knew I'd miss the one we had one at the old house. It was quite thoughtful." Brennan smiled sadly at her husband. "We had such a good time the day they came to plant it, laughing and talking while Christine played in the dirt, but then later I was so sad because you weren't here to share the day with us." She wiped away a tear. "I missed you so much while you were in prison, Booth. And now I miss Sweets." She sniffled as a tear rolled down her cheek.

Booth put his arm around his wife and pulled her close. "I know, Bones. It's hard to believe he's gone...and I missed you so much." His voice was husky with emotion. "I think between losing Sweets and being in prison the last few months have been some of the worst times in my life, but it's over now, and I'm back for good, looking toward our future."

Bones nodded. "It was a very hard time, but we survived it."

"Yes, we did." Booth reached and put his hand around the trunk of the pear tree sapling, and with a dramatic flourish turned to his wife. He pointed to the cherry tree and smiled. "That cherry tree marks the beginning of a new home for our family...a new place to fill with love." Then he gestured toward the sapling. "This pear tree marks a new chapter in our lives. We're together now, making a fresh start, and every Spring when it blooms, it's gonna remind us of how we made it through some really tough times together." He moved the sapling to the place he'd picked out for it. "I guess this is the right spot. I think we can see both of the trees from inside the house if I plant it here. What do you think, Bones?"

She laughed. "I think it's very appropriate, Booth. Planting a tree is often used as a symbolic gesture to mark an important occasion."

Booth nodded in agreement. "There's nothing more important that making sure our family is together, Bones."

"I think you're correct." Brennan gave her husband a kiss. "I also think you're a wonderful man, Booth, and I love you very much."

"I love you, too, Bones…" he said, as he returned her kiss. "I love you, too."


	2. Chapter 2 Turtledoves

"Daddy, what's a turtledove?"

Booth was driving his kids home from Mass on a cold and blustery Sunday morning. He glanced in the the rear view mirror and saw that Christine looked quite puzzled. Booth smiled. His little daughter's expression was the same one her mother usually wore when she was considering a tough problem.

"I think a turtledove is a kind of pigeon. Why?" Booth thought it was a strange question. Usually Christine asked difficult questions about her Sunday school lessons on the way home from church. He often found it necessary to brush up on his catechism to answer them.

"Sister Mary Margaret says I have to sing about them in our song for the Christmas play."

Booth glanced at the instruction sheet lying on the passenger seat next to him. Christine's Sunday school class was going to sing the _Twelve Days of Christmas_ for their part of the Christmas pageant. It was his least favorite Christmas song, but he knew he'd love it if his daughter was singing it.

"Okay, Sweetheart." He smiled into the rear view mirror. "I think you'll be great. I'm looking forward to it."

"Sister Mary Margaret says we'll sound like angels. How would she know what angels sound like, Daddy? Aren't angels in Heaven? And does a turtledove sound like an angel? Turtles don't really make noise, do they?"

Thinking about Sister Mary Margaret brought a smile to Booth's face. She was quite elderly, and quite deaf but, based on her sweet disposition, he felt sure she knew how angels sounded when they sang. "She means your class will sound beautiful when they sing their song. Why all the questions this morning?"

Christine frowned slightly, again in the same way her mother did when she was puzzling over a question. Booth chuckled to himself. That little apple didn't fall far from its tree.

Christine puffed out a little sigh. "I have to draw a picture of a turtledove for the play, and I don't know what they look like. I want my picture to be sciencey accurate."

"I think you mean scientifically accurate. Well, that's easy, Honey. We'll just look it up on the internet. I bet we can find some pictures of turtledoves on line."

Christine still wasn't placated. "But, Daddy, how can something be a turtle and a dove at the same time? Mommy says turtles are reptiles, and you said turtledoves are birds. I don't think reptiles and birds can have babies together, can they? I want them to look right in my picture."

Booth glanced in the mirror at his little zoologist. "I don't know about that, Chrissy, but we'll figure it out before the pageant, okay? Don't worry about it."

"Okay, Daddy…." Christine wrinkled her nose a bit, impatient to do her research on turtledoves.

"Of course Christine wants her drawing to be exactly correct.", Booth thought, smiling to himself. "She is, after all, the daughter of the 'bestest scientist in the world'."

oooooooooo

The evening of the Christmas pageant finally arrived, and Booth was much more nervous about the performance than Christine was. He was also very curious about her drawing for the pageant, but she had refused to show him.

"It's a s'prise, Daddy. I drew it all by myself. I didn't even look at the computer."

"C'mon, Christine….just a peek?" Booth tried a charm smile on his daughter, but she stubbornly refused to divulge her secret.

"No, Daddy! You and Mommy can see it at the play."

Booth took Christine and her very large rolled up picture to Sister Mary Margaret's classroom before the pageant started. There were a dozen small children buzzing around noisily. Booth was trying to talk to Sister Mary Margaret about Christine's picture but she couldn't hear him over all the din. The elderly nun finally gave him a sweet smile. "I'm sure whatever Christine drew will be fine, Mr. Booth." She gently guided him to the classroom door. "Enjoy the pageant."

Booth found Bones in the parish hall, sitting close to the stage. He sat impatiently fidgeting until it was time for Christine's class. "Are you ready to record this, Bones? Her first solo!"

"Yes, Booth. Shhhh...they're ready to begin."

The introduction of the Twelve Days of Christmas was played on the slightly out of tune piano as the small choristers lined up. Each child was supposed to have drawn what they were singing about in the verse. When it was Christine's turn, she stepped forward and proudly unfurled her drawing. It depicted two very large green turtles, each with a pair of tiny white wings. "Two turtledoves!", she sang emphatically as she peered over the top of her picture.

The audience giggled. Bones turned to Booth and whispered, "It appears that Christine has invented a new species. Perhaps I should've explained taxonomy to her in greater detail."

Booth shook his head and laughed. "No, Bones. It's fine. It's wonderful just the way it is."


	3. Chapter 3 French

"Hiya, Bones. What are you doing?" Booth had moved quietly through the house so he could sneak up on his wife to give her a surprise kiss.

"Oh, hello, Booth...I didn't hear you come in." Brennan quickly moved some papers and pictures around on the kitchen counter.

"Wait...is that Christine's Social Studies project? You're not 'helping' her again, are you?" Booth pretended to scowl at his wife.

"Of course not." Brennan wore a slightly guilty smile. "It's her school project, and she's going to do it. I'm just helping her with some ideas….brainstorming about pictures...things like that."

"I see." Booth looked around the room. "If you're helping Christine with brainstorming about ideas for pictures, where is she? Shouldn't she be here for that part of the project?"

Brennan knew she was caught, but she wasn't going down without a fight. "She's in her bedroom." She handed Booth the poster board. "We've been talking about the food in France. She's finished some of the other parts already."

"Let's see...what've we got here...", he mused, as he looked over the poster. "Food: wine, crepes, and cheese. Music: Debussy and Ravel….Who the Hell is Ravel?" Booth looked at his wife in amazement. "Does Christine even know who these people are? Dance: ballet and can-can. Art: Rodin and Degas. Landmarks: The Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral."

Brennan tried to correct Booth's French pronunciation, but gave up. "I don't know why the S on Degas isn't pronounced, Booth, but believe me, it isn't.", she said in exasperation. She gestured toward the poster. "So all we have to do is add some more pictures, and the only other thing we need is something about France's contribution to the world."

"You mean Christine can add more pictures and Christine can find something about France's contribution to the world." Booth was smiling, but his tone of voice made his opinion clear. "It's her project, Bones. She needs to do it by herself."

Brennan gave her husband an irritated look. "I want Christine to get an A. Don't you?"

"I want her to _earn_ an A, Bones. That's the important thing. You don't want her to get through school like I did, right? Always having other people do my work for me?" Booth laughed at the horrified look on his wife's face. "If you wanna turn her into a slacker girl, just keep doing her work for her.", he teased. Booth looked toward the hallway. "How long has Christine been in her bedroom, anyway? Maybe I should check on her."

Brennan decided to give up. "Actually, Christine's taking a nap. She didn't feel well at school so I picked her up early. Her teacher reminded us about the project before she left." Brennan smiled, a bit embarrassed. "It seems that I've gotten too involved in Christine's school work again. I'm sorry, Booth. You're right. Christine should do her own projects."

"Hmmmm. Just as I thought. I caught you red-handed." Booth smirked. "So now you've gotta pay the penalty." He embraced his wife, caressing her gently.

"Oh, no.", she exclaimed in mock terror. "What's the penalty, Booth?"

He twitched his eyebrows at her. "You gotta spend extra time after school with me so I can teach you about France's major contribution to the world."

"Really?" She grinned. "What would that be?"

"The French kiss…."


	4. Chapter 4 Birds

Booth was walking through the family room late one evening when he paused behind the sofa. "Whatcha watching, Bones?"

"The educational television station is having a program series about great film directors. Have you ever heard of Alfred Hitchcock? He's one of my favorites."

Booth rolled his eyes at her. "Of course I've heard of him. He's really famous, Bones. He made lots of great movies." He seemed very interested in the movie as he sat down next to his wife. "So which one is this? I hope it's _Rear Window_. I love that one."

"No...this one is called _The Birds._ It's about a town that's attacked by various bird species….."

"Oh!" Booth jumped up off the couch. "Okay. Well, good night. I'm gonna hit the rack….I'm beat."

Brennan was surprised by her husband's sudden change in attitude. "You love old movies, Booth, and you said you like Hitchcock. Why don't you sit here with me and we'll watch this together." She patted the seat next to where she was sitting. "You don't have to be at work early tomorrow."

Booth backed away from the sofa, avoiding the images on the television screen. "Not tonight. I'm really tired." He reached for his wife's hand. "I guess if you wanted, you could skip the rest of the movie and come join me…." He gave her a suggestive charm smile as he twitched his eyebrows at her.

Brennan was puzzled by Booth's behavior. He said he was really tired, but of course he always wanted sex. He was taking great pains to ignore the movie on the television. In fact, he had his back to it like he didn't want to see any of it. Suddenly it occurred to her what was going on.

"Booth, do you find this movie upsetting?"

"No…..it's just that I don't want to interrupt your movie, Bones. I'm going to bed."

She paused the movie. "It's on the DVR so I can watch it whenever I want." She watched her husband fidget nervously. "I think this movie makes you uncomfortable, so I'll watch it when you're not home."

Booth shrugged his shoulders and sat next to her again. "Do you really like this movie?"

"Yes...I think it's interesting the way Hitchcock builds the suspense, and the way the people develop a sort of group anxiety is interesting, even if it is psychology. I've been trying to ascertain what causes the birds to attack the people, but so far I can't figure it out, even after watching it twice."

"You've watched it twice?" Booth shuddered slightly. "I find that hard to believe. It's so creepy."

Brennan tilted her head to one side, studying her husband's face. "Booth...are you afraid of birds?"

"I guess, maybe a little...I mean, they're kinda scary, you know? They look at you with their beady little eyes, just watching you, and you don't know what they're thinking...and their feet are all scaly and their feathers rustle, and they eat nasty crap like bugs and dead animals. Some of them make weird noises, and they can fly at you…" Booth paused and laughed nervously. "I guess that's really silly."

Brennan shook her head. "No, I understand. There are some animals I don't like…"

"Snakes…" Booth grinned at his wife. "I know. I guess part of it is that I watched this on the late show with Pops one night. I was just a kid and it scared me pretty badly. It's not rational, I know. So I'm gonna go to bed and you can finish the movie. Night." He leaned down to give his wife a kiss and turned toward the bedroom.

"Wait, Booth…I'll join you." She turned off the television. "Since that's on DVR, I can watch it later. I think we have better things to do tonight than watch television."

He laughed. "Definitely….."


	5. Chapter 5 Rings

Set in Season Nine

It was a pleasant Saturday morning as Booth walked into the bedroom where Brennan was getting dressed for the day.

"We need to go shopping this morning, Bones.", he announced. He put his wallet in the pocket of his jeans and picked up his keys and phone. "I'll get Christine ready." He turned to leave the bedroom when Brennan stopped him.

"Booth, wait...I want to work on my book today, remember? I have a deadline to meet and I don't want to worry about it while we're on our honeymoon. I need to work at least four hours today." Brennan gave Booth a puzzled look. "Why do we need to go shopping? I bought groceries last night."

"For your engagement ring, of course." Booth rolled his eyes, acting like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I don't think we'll be gone very long...maybe an hour or two, and then you can have the whole afternoon to work on your manuscript."

"What?" That was the last thing Brennan had expected. "I don't want an engagement ring, Booth. We're getting married in less than a month, and all our friends know it. I don't need a ring to prove it."

Booth shrugged his shoulders. "I know we don't need to prove anything to our friends, but I want you to have a diamond engagement ring anyway." He grinned sheepishly. "I was gonna surprise you with a ring, but I couldn't decide which one you'd like, so I need you to come with me to pick one out. Okay? So, chop-chop. You finished getting dressed, and I'll get Christine dressed."

Brennan's brow furrowed as she contemplated his plan. "While I appreciate the idea behind an engagement ring, Booth, I have to tell you that most diamond rings are not very practical in my line of work. The gloves I wear when examining a body might get torn when they stretch over the setting that holds the stone, or the setting might collect extraneous particulates or chemical residue." Brennan gave him a sweet smile. "Thank you for the thought, but I think a simple gold wedding band will be far more sensible." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

Booth was undeterred. His stern expression told her that he was unwilling to take 'no' for an answer. "Well, it's not really like you have a choice, Bones, because you're gonna have a nice diamond ring, even if you just wear it on our wedding day and for our anniversaries."

Brennan frowned slightly, trying to figure out why Booth had dug his heels in over the idea of an engagement ring. "Seriously, Booth, you don't have to mark me as your property with a bit of crystallized carbon. I'd like a gold band with our initials inscribed inside…."

"No! That's not good enough!" Booth took her hand in his and murmured softly. "Please, Bones...humor me on this one thing, okay? Please just let me do this for you."

She looked at the pleading expression in his eyes. It wasn't like him to ignore her wishes in this situation. He didn't seem happy about getting her a ring...he seemed determined almost to the point of being angry, like shopping for a ring was more of a chore or a burden than something enjoyable. "What's wrong, Booth? Why are you so adamant about the idea of giving me an engagement ring?"

Booth sighed heavily as he sat down on the bed. He ran his hand over his face, avoiding eye contact with Brennan. He knew he needed to tell her what he'd been feeling recently. It was awkward, but she deserved an explanation. It was time to rid himself of the last little thing that tied him to that relationship from the past so he could finally have a clear conscience as he embraced his future with Bones.

He took a deep breath as he began the story. "Sweets was asking my advice one night because he had decided he was gonna ask Daisy to marry him. He was giving me a hard time about being old and unmarried, and it bothered me, so, being drunk, I decided on the spur of the moment I was going to propose to Hannah, too. I made a big deal about it, and even though it didn't feel right, I didn't want to back down from my decision and look like a coward. Sweets and I decided to go ring shopping together ...him for Daisy, and me for Hannah. I was trying to prove to everyone just how much I loved Hannah...even to myself, I guess...and I bought a ridiculously expensive ring so I could surprise her with it. I suppose I wanted to impress her by getting her this big flashy ring, you know…to prove myself worthy of her affections. Maybe I thought that when she saw the ring, she'd want it and say yes, even though I knew she wasn't the marrying kind." He ran his hand through his hair. "God, it's embarrassing how stupid I was. I should've known we didn't have enough in common for a permanent relationship….not for marriage. I spent way too much money on that damn ring, and then when she said no, I threw it into the reflecting pool." He shook his head as he ran the back of his hand across his eyes. "I guess I'm just a goddamn idiot…."

"Booth, you don't have to tell me this…." Brennan could hear the anguish in his voice.

"Yes, I do! I'm so mad at myself because I don't have an even better engagement ring for you! It drives me crazy! You've been my reason for living for years, you know? Even when Hannah was around, you were always on my mind. Deep down, no matter what, I think I've always known how much I've loved you. I mean, I don't know how I could ever survive without you in my life, and I didn't even give you a ring from a goddamn cracker jack box! And you deserve so much, Bones...you deserve the best ring I can get for you...the best one in the store. So let's go get one, okay? Please?"

Brennan smiled as she sat on the bed, shaking her head at the man she loved with her whole being. "Booth...I'm not marrying you to receive an impressive ring. I'm marrying you because I love you. A ring is just a reminder for me that we love each other, that's all. We don't actually need rings to be married. We just need each other."

Booth saw the love in her eyes, and thanked God once again that he had someone to love him like his Bones did.

He hesitated, swallowing the lump in his throat before trying to speak again. "Bones…A plain gold band? That's it? Are you sure? With our initials inside?"

"Yes, I'm sure. A plain gold wedding band...and you, of course."

He nodded and smiled. "Well….if that's what you really want, I guess I'm okay with it. But just wait until our twenty-fifth anniversary…." 


	6. Chapter 6 Geese

Booth came stomping across the lab, leaving wet footprints with his sopping shoes. He turned quickly and shook his finger at Hodgins.

"Don't even start with me, Bug Boy! I don't want to hear a word! Angela, where's Bones?" He roared past Angela without waiting for an answer.

Angela watched him stride past, trailing water drops as he went into Brennan's office. She looked at her husband, who was trying desperately to control his laughter.

"Hodgins, what happened? Booth is soaked to the skin…"

Hodgins gave into his giggles. "Ange...it was hysterical…"

Cam came up to where Hodgins and Angela were standing, laughing as she pointed at the water puddles on the floor. "I see Booth was here. Is he trying to get Brennan to take him home?"

Finally Hodgins let out a guffaw. "It was the geese, Angie…"

"Will someone please tell me what happened?" Angela glared at Hodgins and Cam.

Cam quit laughing long enough to begin the story. "We were at the crime scene, which is on a small hill above a large pond. We were walking around, trying to get an idea of how the body got there. Booth was looking around for footprints in the mud and wet grass, and he wasn't really paying attention to anything else."

Hodgins interrupted. "There were some geese on the pond and standing around it, but they pretty much ignored us until Booth blundered into an area where some geese had made a nest in some tall grass. The nesting goose wasn't happy."

"Neither was the gander. The geese ran toward Booth and chased him around like they were gonna kill him." Cam began to giggle again. "Booth took off running as fast as he could go."

"Yeah, and that made all the other geese riled up." Hodgins smiled at Cam. "How many geese were chasing him? Eight or ten? Talk about a wild goose chase…." Hodgins giggled again.

Cam nodded. "At least eight. They flew at him, and Booth broke into a run. He was running toward the SUV but he slipped on a wet patch…."

"And he went sliding down the embankment toward the pond, Angie. He couldn't stop himself and landed face first in the water with the geese flapping behind him."

Angela grimaced. "At least it looks like he isn't hurt. I guess Booth was really angry, right? It's a good thing he wasn't wearing a suit..."

"Oh, the only thing that was hurt was his dignity, but you're right…. he really was angry...….he got himself out of the water and the geese stopped squawking and chasing him, but then there was the SUV…." Cam began to giggle again.

"He got into the SUV and tried to drive off, but it was stuck up to the axle in mud. He'd parked right in a giant mud puddle. He kept spinning the tires." Hodgins looked like he might collapse onto the floor in laughter.

"We tried everything we could think of to move it. Booth got out to look at the rear axle and had Hodgins try to gun the engine while he rocked the truck. All that happened was that Booth ended up wet and covered with flying mud after being chased by angry geese." She shook her head, laughing at the memory. "We all tried really, really hard not to laugh at him, Angela…."

"But we just couldn't help ourselves, and that just made Booth angrier. He was really upset about the truck. We couldn't budge it. The FBI's going to have to send out a tow truck to get it, I think. That's why I had to bring him back to the lab." Hodgins shrugged his shoulders and smiled. "You know how much he hates the lab, Angie…but he hates being wet and dirty even more."

"Yeah, he wants Brennan to take him home to change his clothes before he can go back to the FBI office. Shhh...", Cam nodded toward Booth and Brennan, "….here they come."

Brennan walked over to Cam and gestured toward her husband. "Cam, I'm going to take Booth home to change clothes, and then I'm taking him to the FBI building. I should be back within the hour." She looked at her husband and smirked. "I have work to do. I don't get to play in mud puddles." She walked off with her irritated husband trailing behind her.

"Playing….I could have drowned, Bones...jeans get heavy in water...those geese tried to kill me….and that damn sinkhole about swallowed my truck!"

Brennan just laughed. "Perhaps you should apply for goose hazard pay…..Come along. Let's get you home."


	7. Chapter 7 Swimming

Set in the first half of Season 5

Booth shielded his eyes as he glanced up at the sun. It was a blazing Saturday afternoon. He grinned as he watched Parker hopping up and down. "I guess you're ready to go swimming, right?"

Parker's head bobbed up and down as he gave his dad a miniature Boothy grin in return. "I can't wait, Dad! It's so cool that we get to use the pool at Dr. Brennan's apartment complex. It's really nice of her, isn't it?"

"Yeah, Parker, it is. Hey, make sure you mind your manners, okay, and don't forget to say thank you." Booth pretended to scowl at his son. "I don't want us to get into trouble because you're acting up!"

"Daaad!" Parker grimaced. "You know I'm gonna be good." He stuck out his lower lip. "I like Bones. I don't want her to be mad at me."

Booth winked and laughed at Parker's pretend pout. "I don't think she could ever be mad at you. Did you get a towel?"

"Yeah, and some sunscreen, and my swim ring." Parker threw everything in the backseat. "I'm ready."

"Okay...saddle up. Let's ride."

As they drove the few miles to Bones' apartment, Booth's mind began to wander. It really was nice of Bones to let them use the pool at her complex. He wondered if she ever used it when they didn't come over. She didn't seem the type to lounge around the pool doing nothing. He listened as Parker chattered excitedly about the time Bones did the cannonball off the diving board into the pool. That had certainly been a surprise. She didn't seem like the cannonball type either.

Eventually his mind wandered to an even more pleasant thought….Bones in her swimsuit. It was just a simple one piece suit, he thought...it wasn't like it was a tiny bikini...but, Lord...she took his breath away in that suit. It definitely fit her well...almost as well as the Wonder Woman costume….Jesus...Wonder Woman….He had often wondered about that woman and how she managed to keep herself from falling out of the bodice of that costume...he was definitely looking forward to Halloween this year...those cute little shorts and the boots on those long legs, and the luscious cleavage...oh yeah...was that where she kept that huge pistol? He might need to do a more intensive search this year…maybe a pat down...

"Right, Dad?" Booth's fantasy was interrupted by Parker's question. Unfortunately, he wasn't really sure what Parker had actually asked him.

"I don't know, Buddy. What do you think?"

"I think chocolate milkshakes are a lot better than vanilla ones."

"I think you're right. Okay, here we are." They pulled into the parking lot and waved as they got out of the car. "Hiya, Bones."

"Hello, Booth. Hi, Parker. I'm so glad to see you!"

"Thanks for inviting us, Dr. Brennan." He nodded toward his father. "Dad says I gotta be good so I get invited back."

Brennan laughed at Parker's frankness. "I'm sure you'll be fine, Parker. Are you ready to get in the pool?"

"Yeah!" He kicked off his shoes and ran to jump in the water.

Brennan glanced over at Booth, noticing how very attractive he was in his tee shirt and swimming trunks. The bright colors were striking against his tan. She was looking forward to the moment he removed his shirt and jumped in after Parker. "Are you going to swim, Booth?" They walked over to some patio chairs and sat down.

"In a minute. How about you?" He glanced over to see if she was wearing that suit.

"Of course. I love to swim." She pulled her tee shirt over her head, and reached down to pull off her shorts, revealing a low cut two piece turquoise swimsuit. "I decided that it would be practical to have more than one suit. What do you think?"

Booth gulped and spluttered with surprise as he tried to keep his eyes on Bones' face instead of her bathing suit. "Wow...I mean, uh...yeah, that's...that's….um….very... practical. It, uh, seems to, um... fit...well…. too." Damn...Halloween _and_ Christmas had come early this year. Trying to regain control of his senses, Booth pulled off his tee shirt and issued a challenge. "Race you to the pool, Bones!"

They ran to see who would get there first, and Brennan won with a cannonball. She came to the pool's surface in time to see Booth's grin.

"Thanks for letting us swim, Bones. Parker loves it, and so do I."

"I'm glad, Booth." She smiled back at him. "You know you're welcome anytime."

"Well, we appreciate it, and we appreciate you." He found himself looking into her beautiful blue eyes, wishing he had something devastatingly charming to say, when Parker splashed him.

"Come on, Dad...let's play Marco Polo."

Booth grinned and shrugged at Brennan, and she motioned for him to go play. She smiled as she watched Booth and Parker chase each other around the pool.

After a few hours of playing in the pool, they all sat baking in the sun, pleasantly tired. Parker started to doze off in the lounge chair.

Booth nodded toward his son. "I guess I'd better get him home."

Brennan spoke quietly as she walked them to the car. "You know, Booth….you can come swimming any time...you don't have to wait until Parker can visit."

"Yeah...I'd like that, Bones." He grinned. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." She smiled shyly.

Booth hummed happily as Parker napped on the ride home, daydreaming about lounging around a beautiful pool with Bones. He laughed to himself. With or without Parker, swimming had definitely moved up to the top of his list of favorite summertime activities.


	8. Chapter 8 Milking

Bones was stuck at the lab trying to wrap up a case, so Booth had picked up Christine from school. He was hungry, so he decided it was time for an after school snack.

"Here you go, Christine. Some muesli…" Booth put the bowl on the breakfast bar in front of his daughter…."and let's put some milk on it. Now, that looks good, right?" He grinned as she nodded her head vigorously. "You know, it's important to have a good breakfast everyday, but muesli and cereal are good for snacks, too, so your dad is gonna have some cornflakes." Booth filled up a big bowl with cornflakes and added some milk.

"Daddy, Mommy usually doesn't let me eat cereal for a snack. She says fruit is better for me." After eating a big spoonful from her bowl, Christine was dribbling milk down her chin onto her sweater.

"Here, Sweetheart." Booth handed Christine a napkin. "Wipe your mouth. Mommy's right. Fruit is good for you, but I wanted cornflakes and I wanted you to have a snack with me. Muesli is probably better than cornflakes." Booth used the end of his tie to wipe up a little stray milk puddle from the counter.

Christine looked at her bowl thoughtfully as she stirred its contents with her spoon. "Daddy….does the milk in the grocery store really come from cows?"

"What?" Booth paused as he held his dripping spoon over his bowl, looking at his daughter with mild surprise. Hmm….this had the feel of a 'go ask your daddy' question. "Well, yeah...that milk comes from cows...and some people drink milk from goats." He took a bite of cereal, hoping that would end the conversation, but based on the quizzical look on Christine's face, they were just beginning the discussion.

"How do they get the milk from the cows and goats?", Christine asked as she ate another spoonful of muesli.

"Don't talk with your mouth full, Christine. Anyway, I think the dairy farmer attaches a milking machine to the cows and goats." Please, God...let that be good enough….Booth tried to end the discussion by pretending to concentrate on his bowl of cornflakes.

Christine furrowed her brow as she thought about her father's explanation. "When we went to the farm last week for the school field trip, the lady at the farm reached under the cow's back legs and grabbed this big white thing and squeezed it with her hands a couple of times, and milk came out." Christine looked at the milk on her spoon. "Why didn't she use a milking machine? Does it hurt the cow when the milking machine squeezes the milk out of it? Do they squeeze the whole cow?" Christine wrinkled her nose at the idea of the cows being squeezed like sponges by a giant machine.

Booth sighed. Where was his wife when he needed her? "In the old days, farmers milked cows by hand, but now they use a machine and it goes faster, and the farmer can sell more milk. I don't think it hurts the cows. The farmer doesn't squeeze the cow like Mommy squeezes an orange for juice. The machine is attached to a part of the cow."

Christine nodded as if she understood, but it was obvious that she was still puzzled. "What part of the cow do they attach the machine to?"

"The udder." Jesus…what brought this on? "Why are you asking about this, Christine?"

"Mommy says that women who have little babies can nurse them and feed them milk. She says we're mammals and we can make milk, but I don't know where the milk comes out for the baby. Do people have udders, Daddy?" Christine tilted her head in thought.

Booth scratched the back of his neck, wondering if his wife had set him up. He chewed on his cornflakes, trying to give himself a few seconds to think. "On people they aren't called udders. They're called something else. I think Mommy can explain it better to you the next time she nurses Hank. I bet if you ask her, she'll tell you all about it. She'll be home in a few hours….you can talk to her about this then."

Christine seemed a bit disappointed as she took another bite of muesli. "Okay, Daddy. Can I ask you a different question?"

Booth wanted to say no, but he said, "Of course, Christine, you can ask me anything."

"Jennifer Applegate is allergic to cow milk, so she drinks almond milk. How does an almond farmer milk almonds?"

Booth was extremely relieved. "I don't know, Sweetheart. I don't think farmers milk almonds, but let's look that up on the internet after you finish your snack, okay? Eat up…"


	9. Chapter 9 Dancing

Christine Brennan-Booth was a fairly typical teenage girl. She enjoyed the same things as most girls her age...boys, music, and social media. The main exception was in her clothing choices….she just didn't care a lot about clothes. In that respect she was more like her mother than her father. Christine wasn't really a tomboy. She was just more comfortable in jeans and a loose tee shirt or sweatshirt. Her hair was usually up in a ponytail, and she didn't wear makeup very often.

Because Christine wasn't fond of dresses or frilly clothes, it had been easy for Booth to ignore the fact that his little girl was becoming a woman. He knew it would happen eventually, but he rarely gave it much thought since the adolescent changes in his daughter had been largely hidden by her loosely fitting shirts. However, all that was about to change….

It was Christine's freshman year in high school, and the homecoming dance was fast approaching. Christine giggled excitedly as she told her parents and brother over dinner one night that Joel Henderson had asked her to go to the dance as his date. Joel was, to quote Christine, "gorgeous", and this was going to be the most important occasion she'd ever had in her whole entire life….and she needed a dress, because the dance was semi-formal.

Brennan decided they would go dress shopping within the next few days. Booth was concerned because he'd never met this Joel Henderson guy, and Joel could be a terrorist. Because it's hard to do a background check on a fifteen year old boy, plans were made so that introductions could occur between the overprotective father and the young man who was the prospective date to be.

Joel proved to be a strong enough young man to withstand the withering barrage of questions and stern reminders about the consequences of ill-treating Christine that came from Special Agent Booth, and so Christine's date for the dance was given tentative approval. A dress was purchased, and things progressed nicely to the night of the dance.

Brennan had helped Christine get ready. After much curling, powdering and primping, Christine came into the family room to show her father how nice she looked. Her mother came in behind her, carrying Christine's shoes and purse.

"Well, Daddy, what do you think?" Christine did a model twirl, showing off her dress. It was navy blue satin, a few inches above her knees, with a fitted bodice and spaghetti straps. The color and fit were perfect, except for one thing…

"Bones...Christine has boo….Christine has brea… Christine is well devel…." All Booth could do was point and stammer. Christine was as curvaceous as her mother. The gentle swelling of her breasts peeked above the fitted bodice, and the long legs were shown off to great advantage by the length of the skirt. Her hair and makeup were perfect. Booth was speechless for a minute, and then began babbling. "She can't go out that way. She'll catch cold. She needs a sweater. Maybe she can wear tee shirt over that dress…"

After a stern look from his wife, Booth regained his composure. "Wow, Christine...you look beautiful….wonderful. Now make sure that when you dance with Joel, you leave room for the Holy Spirit, remember? Arm's length from each other? No dancing cheek to cheek or cheek to chest. In fact, I'm not sure you even need to touch each other at all while you're dancing, right, Bones?"

Christine rolled her eyes. "Daddy, of course I'm going to touch Joel when I dance with him, especially when they play the slow dances. Mom says that's what makes a dance fun."

Booth was not amused. "I'm sure your mother meant something different…."

The doorbell rang, and Brennan went to answer it. "Oh, hello, Joel. Please come in."

"Thank you, Dr. Brennan." Joel stopped dead in his tracks. He stared with obvious appreciation for Christine's appearance. "Wow, Christine...you look great!"

"Okay, Joel, that's enough.", Booth snapped. "Listen, about dancing with my daughter…"

Brennan interrupted. "What Agent Booth means is 'have fun'. I want to take a photograph…Smile! Joel, are your parents driving you to the dance?"

"Yes, and they're chaperoning tonight." Joel glanced nervously at Booth. "My dad said he'd help me remember to act like a gentleman, Agent Booth."

"That's good. Act like a gentleman, and no one gets hurt…"

"That's enough, Booth…" Brennan smiled. "Enjoy yourselves, you two. Good-bye."

"Bye, Mom. Bye, Daddy." She kissed them both on the cheek. "I'll be home by midnight."

Booth sighed as he watched his little girl leave. "Bones….when did Christine start looking like a woman? I feel like I've missed something…."

"It often seems that puberty happens overnight, Booth, but I assure you, it's been a gradual change. Christine is really beautiful, isn't she?" She paused for a minute. "I find myself becoming quite emotional."

"Yes, Bones...she's beautiful." Booth kissed his wife. "Just like her mother."


	10. Chapter 10 Leap

_A/N: This vignette is a different style, and I'm a bit nervous about it. I hope you all like it._

Well, you know, I guess I've always loved her. It's crazy, right? The whole idea of love at first sight, and fate, and all that shit? You might not believe in it, but I've lived it. I know it happens. The proof of it sits next to me in my SUV almost every day.

I can't even explain why I'm so head over heels about her. I mean, she's hot...smokin' hot...but there's a lot of hot women in the world. In fact, her best friend is smokin' and so is her boss. It might be her brains, or her honesty, or the way she can just sit and listen to me tell her all sorts of bad shit about myself without judging me, or how sweet and nerdy she can be, or a hundred other things. I don't know. But it's always been her that I wanted….ever since I saw her in that lecture hall, it's been her.

It took me a couple of years to admit it to myself… at first I thought she was bitchy, you know? But she's just blunt, super smart and really logical. I dated her boss for a while, and after her boss and I broke up I made this stupid speech about a line and not crossin' it. And things were fine until I saw her kissin' that bastard Sully in her office...not just a friendly kiss, either...Man, it was like gettin' kicked in the nuts. I knew then I was in deep shit... I was in love with my _partner!_ What the hell was _wrong_ with me?

Of course, all this time she seemed like she was clueless, right? She'd gone out with other guys, and I was tryin' to be brave, even when she made that huge leap of logic that said it was okay to date Mark the welder and Jason the botanist at the same time...and then both of those jerks broke up with her. They were crazy...but then in Sweets' office I told her there's someone for everybody, and I almost spilled my guts about being in love with her. I blame that dress...God, she looked so great in that dress…

And, of course, other guys were interested in her, too. I mean, she's beautiful, you know? I even had to beat off my boss and my own damn brother. Here I am...I'm tryin' to figure out how to get her interested in me, and my jackass brother makes her think I'm a loser. I guess she figured out who the real loser is, though…she gave Jared the brush off and pushed him off a bar stool to prove it.

Pops always said look before you leap, Shrimp...but for a while, I'd been thinking of makin' a leap of faith. I'd been thinkin' about telling her just how much I loved her...I'd lie awake at night, planning what to say, and I'd think I know when to say it, and I'd look into those big blue eyes...and I might as well have been jumpin' off a bridge instead, 'cause it all went flyin' out the window, you know? And then she decided she wants a kid, so I volunteer my stuff, but I end up with a goddamn brain tumor and dream that we're married. Best four days of my life. So now I know I love her and I'm gonna tell her, right? But then Sweets told me that what I felt for her wasn't real, and there was that damn clown...so I freaked out and said I love her in an 'atta girl kinda way'. What kinda chicken shit is that?

So she acts like she's interested, and Gordon-Gordon suggested patience, but I was so afraid I was gonna lose her...and that damn Sweets said I was the gambler, so I rushed it...but she said she couldn't love me like that. I guess I backed her into a corner….and things went to hell real damn fast. She got spooked and ran away to the other side of the world, and I let myself get waylaid by a pretty face in Afghanistan, and I thought that I'd forgotten all about her...until I came back to the States, and fell in love with her all over again. Of course, I had a girlfriend at the time and things were all screwed up...it was a big pile of shit...I thank God every day that the girl I met in Afghanistan turned me down when I proposed to her.

So then I was back to fate and love at first sight….just like I'd never left her, but I was too damn stubborn to realize I'd been given a second chance. I'm a goddamn idiot, you know? Because it took me a while to figure it out. But she figured things out, too...she wasn't clueless any more. She loved me, too...and thank God she was more patient than me. So Fate and Love were back on my side, and things happened to bring us together again. I found out I was right the first day I met her….It had always been her, and it always will be her.

Every day I think about how lucky I am, because she loves me, no matter what shit I pull. She stood by me when I was accused of a crime I didn't commit. She used that beautiful brain of hers to get me out of jail and kept me from going off the deep end so I wouldn't kill an innocent man.

Even when I fell off the gambling wagon, she loved me. She kicked my ass out of the house when I was gambling to get my attention because she loves me, and she took me back because she loves me. I don't know what I ever did to be so blessed. She says it will always be me... that she loves me.

And after all this time...like ten years, I think, and trouble like you wouldn't believe, me and Bones are married and we've got 3 beautiful kids. I've never been happier in my entire damn life.

So yeah, it's true. I'm living proof. Fate and love at first sight are real. Thank God...they're definitely real.


	11. Chapter 11 Eleven

"He just doesn't like me, Seeley." Hannah glared across the kitchen table at her boyfriend. "I can't believe you put me in that situation. I mean, how awkward was that? Having to explain why I was there instead of Temperance? Seriously. _I am your girlfriend_ , after all."

"I think you're overreacting, Sweetheart." Booth smiled, trying to appease her. "He's always been fond of Bones. They hit it off right away. She helped him organize his prescriptions and stuff like that. But that doesn't mean he won't grow to love you as much as I do."

"Hmph. An old man like your grandfather is set in his ways. Face it, Seeley...Pops and I will never be able to get along with each other." She sighed dramatically. "I'm going to bed." Hannah got up and walked quickly toward the bedroom, leaving Booth to fume at the table. This was not the outcome he had expected when he introduced Hannah to his grandfather.

oooooooooo

After much cajoling, Booth had convinced Hannah to go with him to visit Pops at the retirement home. He couldn't figure out why Hannah had been so resistant to the idea, and she didn't understand why Pops was so important to him. Booth chalked it up to the fact that all of her grandparents had passed away when she was very young.

Booth hadn't mentioned to Hannah that Pops was more of a father to him than his real father had been. It didn't seem relevant at the time. He wanted to keep things between himself and Hannah light and happy. No need to drag all the details of his childhood out in the light.

Booth and Hannah had decided to join Hank for lunch. They walked into the dining room, looking for him, and Booth saw the slight look of distaste that passed over Hannah's face. She was obviously uncomfortable, which surprised Booth. Hannah had been in some of the wildest and most remote parts of the world, doing dangerous things, and yet she seemed afraid of elderly people.

Pops was sitting in the back of the dining room waiting for them. "Shrimp! Over here!"

Hannah snorted. "Shrimp? What kind of stupid name is that?" She rolled her eyes at Seeley.

"It's been my nickname as long as I can remember. I like it." The hard edge in Booth's voice quelled her laughter.

"Pops...how ya doing? Hey, this is my girlfriend, Hannah Burley. We met in Afghanistan. Hannah, this is my Pops...Hank Booth."

"How do you do, Mr. Booth?" Hannah smiled sweetly, wanting to make a good impression.

"Fine.", Pops said gruffly. He turned to his grandson. "When you said you were bringing your girlfriend, I assumed it'd be Temperance. I see I made a mistake." He motioned to the chairs on either side of him. "Sit down and let's eat. I'm hungry. It's pot roast today."

The look on Pops' face said it all. It always amazed Booth that one stern glare from Pops could make Seeley J. Booth, badass FBI Major Crimes Unit Special Agent in Charge, feel like a gawky eleven year old kid again. Pops was polite, but he made it obvious that he wasn't impressed with Hannah.

"Seeley's told me so much about you, Mr. Booth. You served in the Korean Conflict?"

"Yep." Pops concentrated on his pot roast. "Battle of Inchon."

"Hannah's a war correspondent, Pops."

Pops never looked up from his plate. "Okay."

"How's the fishing been lately, Pops?"

"Fine." Pops glanced at Hannah. "You fish?"

She shook her head and went back to picking at her plate. Any other attempts at conversation were met with terse words from the older man.

After an hour, Booth gave up. "We gotta get going, Pops. I'll see you soon."

Pops looked at Hannah and then at Booth. "I don't think so."

oooooooooo

After a week of stewing over what had happened between Pops and Hannah, Booth went to visit his grandfather again. He poked his head into the doorway of Pops' room. "Hiya, Pops."

"Hi yourself, Shrimp. Did you bring Blondie with you today?" He grimaced. "That girl grates on my nerves."

"Pops, please don't talk about Hannah that way. She's my girlfriend, and I love her. I'm gonna ask her to marry me. I want you to like her…"

"I don't think so." Hank turned away from his grandson. "I think you're making a big mistake. You need Temperance….."

"Listen, Pops…" Booth interrupted. "That's long gone. She didn't love me like that…"

"You're a damn fool if you believe that, son. I don't know what happened between you two, but I know she loved you at one time, and she probably still does. I could see it in her eyes."

"Yeah, well, it didn't work out, so I've moved on and found someone new."

"So Temperance said that she didn't love you like that, and you just gave up? You didn't try to convince her otherwise? What's wrong with you, Shrimp? She's a keeper. She's a scale from one to ten, she's an eleven."

"It's a long story, Pops, but I'm with Hannah now, and I'd like you to be happy for me. I'm gonna want you at my wedding."

Pops sighed. Once Seeley had his made up his mind, he would stick with his choice, no matter what happened. Pops just hoped Temperance would be around to help his grandson pick up the pieces once Hannah was gone. He could tell that Hannah wasn't the marrying kind.

"Okay, Shrimp. I'll be happy for you. I'll even try to be nice to Blondie, just for you. Okay?" Pops gave his grandson a hug.

"Great, Pops. That's great. You'll grow to love her. You'll see. Hey, I've gotta go. See you soon, okay?" Booth grinned at his grandfather.

"Yeah, okay. Bye now." He watched Shrimp walk away, praying that his grandson's heart wouldn't be permanently broken by Hannah…..


	12. Chapter 12 Drumming

Set Between Season 6 and Season 7

Booth sat stiffly in the chair, drumming his fingers nervously on his thighs. He glanced over at Bones, trying to figure out if she was truly as calm as she appeared to be. She wasn't prone to hysterics, but this would definitely count as a stressful situation. Sitting on an exam table in an open hospital gown waiting for test results would make most people nervous, but she wasn't like most people. She was his Bones...

A quick knock at the door, and the doctor walked briskly into the room. Dr. Tran greeted them as she sat at her computer keyboard to access Brennan's medical records.

"Well, Dr. Brennan, based on the blood test and the pelvic exam, you are indeed pregnant." Dr. Tran entered information into the computer. "I believe you to be between 6 and 8 weeks along, based on the information you gave me concerning when you suspect the sexual contact occurred. I'd like to conduct an ultrasound examination at your next appointment to more accurately ascertain the due date."

Booth grinned thinking about all the sexual contacts that had occurred between them since that night. He twitched his eyebrows at Bones and felt his heart skip a beat when he saw the beautiful smile on Bones' face. The love of his life was having his child, and she was thrilled. Could he really be this lucky? His dreams were finally coming true...

"Do we need to conduct a paternity test?" Dr. Tran was typing more information into the computer.

"No...Agent Booth is the father, and he has acknowledged paternity." Even those clinical words sounded sweet coming from Bones. Booth's heart drummed faster with the love and pride he felt at that moment.

"For our records, Dr. Brennan, are you and Agent Booth married? I assume he'll be listed as next of kin…."

Bones shook her head emphatically. "We're not married...but Booth should be listed as my next of kin. He's also has power of attorney for me and can make medical decisions on my behalf if I'm unable to do so. I believe a better term would be domestic partner." Booth rolled his eyes...boyfriend would've been so much easier...

"Alright." More typing. "Were you using any method of birth control when this pregnancy occurred?" Dr. Tran saw the look that passed between the couple. "We're required to gather this information to track failure rates for different methods of contraception."

Brennan hesitated before answering. "I haven't used birth control pills for several months." She grinned at Booth, knowing he was secretly proud of his success in fathering their child on the night when they began the sexual component of their relationship.

Booth cleared his throat. "It was our first time together...and it kinda happened on the spur of the moment...in a hurry, you know…. so there wasn't really time to hunt for a condom…."

Brennan interrupted. "Booth has exceptional semen...high sperm count, high viability, and high motility. I doubt that a condom would have been effective anyway." She smirked at Booth. "What was it you said when I told you I was pregnant? 'Bingo, baby...got it right the first time'?" Brennan and Dr. Tran both laughed as Brennan continued. "Agent Booth is an excellent shot, and he certainly hit his intended target, wouldn't you say, Dr. Tran?"

Dr. Tran nodded. "Nail on the head...or perhaps it's more appropriate to say 'bullseye'."

"Yeah, right…." Booth blushed and blustered as he tried to change the subject. "Even though it was unexpected, we're both very happy, Dr. Tran."

"Excellent." Dr. Tran turned away from her computer and toward Brennan and Booth, leaning back in her chair. "I'm going to write a prescription for some prenatal vitamins, and give you some information about diet and exercise during pregnancy." She smiled slyly. "You may continue to engage in sexual intercourse for now."

"Thank God…", Booth breathed. He was embarrassed when he realized Dr. Tran had heard him.

"I'm glad you're satisfied with your sexual relationship with Dr. Brennan, Agent Booth. This is an important bonding time for parents, and sex enhances that bond."

"Okay, that's great…" Booth wasn't sure he really wanted to discuss his sex life with her, but another thought crossed his mind. "Hey, what about Bones going out in the field? She should probably stay at the lab, right?"

"Not unless she wants to. Dr. Brennan can be as physically active as she desires. It's important to stay active, but not to the point of exhaustion."

"Told ya, Bones. You need to stay out of fieldwork."

"Booth, that's not what Dr. Tran said. She said I could go out to crime scenes if I want to…"

"Yeah, but I'm the dad, and I get some say so about our kid…."

"But the baby is in me, Booth…."

Dr. Tran listened in amazement as these two people, who obviously loved each other, bickered loudly back and forth. "Dr. Brennan...Agent Booth...I'm going to have someone from the business office come in to discuss the insurance arrangements. I need to see you in one month, Dr. Brennan. Remember to set up the ultrasound appointment." She stepped out of the examination room, leaving Booth and Brennan alone.

"Booth….we're really having a baby!" Brennan was smiling from ear to ear.

"I know, Bones. I'm so happy!" He pulled her close. "I can't explain how happy I am!"

She snuggled happily next to him. "I love you, Booth."

He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head. "I love you, too, Bones."

 _A/N: THANKS FOR READING MY LITTLE STORIES AND FOR THE REVIEWS. I ENJOYED WRITING THEM._


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